OCTOBER IS the greatest month. Not only does it bring the baseball playoffs, the beginning of the pro hockey season, the Bridge School Benefit and Halloween candy, but it marks the start of the San Francisco Jazz Festival.

This year’s showcase swings into gear next week and continues through Nov. 8. Here’s a look at some of the festival’s top offerings (for more information, or to buy tickets, contact 866-920-5299 or www.sfjazz.org):

Omara Portuondo: The queen of Cuban jazz, whose career has spawned more than a half century, finally returns with her first U.S. tour since 2004. Portuondo came to fame on these shores as a member of the Buena Vista Social Club, the all-star ensemble in Wim Wenders’ Oscar-nominated documentary of the same name. I’ve had the privilege to have seen this vocalist before, and I can’t wait to hear her again. 8 p.m. Tuesday, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon St., S.F.; $35-$80.

Melody Gardot: With a voice reminiscent of Diana Krall and Norah Jones, this 24-year-old singer is everyone’s pick for “Next Big Thing” in jazz. Plus, her Busby Berkeley-influenced video for “Baby I’m a Fool” is the coolest thing I’ve seen since Men Without Hats’ “The Safety Dance.” 8 p.m. Oct. 23, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre; $30-$70.

Henry Butler: A few years back, I was cruising down some street in New Orleans at roughly 2 in the afternoon and I heard live music coming out of a record store. I went inside and found Butler, a New Orleans native, crooning some of the most convincing blues I’d experienced. This vocalist-pianist is the real deal. 8 p.m. Oct. 24, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 50 Oak St.; $30-$50.

Cindy Blackman’s Another Lifetime: There will probably come a day when tribute shows are held in honor of Blackman. The drummer best-known for setting the beat behind Lenny Kravitz has released several straight-ahead jazz albums under her own name. For now, however, Blackman’s doing the tribute work, paying her respect to the great Tony Williams during this SFJAZZ show. Williams, who died in 1997, was a member of Miles Davis’ famed ’60s quintet as well as a pioneer in the jazz-fusion movement. 8 p.m. Oct. 28, Great American Music Hall, 859 O’Farrell St., S.F.; $30

James Cotton Superharp Band: There are plenty of reasons why blues fans should pick Cotton. First and foremost, he’s one of the greatest harmonicats of all time, up there with the likes of Little Walter. He’s best known for the work he did in Muddy Waters’ band, including on 1977’s “Hard Again” — my pick for the finest blues album recorded. Cotton will be joined onstage by legendary Hubert Sumlin, the guitarist from Howlin’ Wolf’s best bands. Cotton and Sumlin are in their 70s, but I’ve seen both in recent years and can attest that they still can jam. 8 p.m. Oct. 31, Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F.; $19-$65.

Marco Benevento: The keyboard-playing half of acclaimed experimental jazz duo Benevento-Russo has fashioned a fine solo career in recent years. His “Live at Tonic” (2007) and “Invisible Baby” (2008) both made my year-end top 10 lists, and I suspect that his latest offering, 2009’s “Me Not Me,” will as well. In concert, he supplements his collection of entertaining originals by covering such rock artists as Neil Young, Led Zeppelin and Beck. 9 p.m. Oct. 31, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard St., S.F.; $25.

Esperanza Spalding: This 24-year-old vocalist-bassist is currently jazz’s “next big thing” until Gardot (see above) moves into her spot. Spalding impressed listeners at last month’s Monterey Jazz Festival, and David Letterman reportedly called Spalding the coolest person he’d had on his show. (Yeah, I know — an endorsement from Dave doesn’t quite carry as much weight as it used to.) 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre; $15-$50.

Ornette Coleman: If I could attend only one show at this year’s Jazz Fest — or even just one jazz gig this year — this would be it. Fifty years after the release of his groundbreaking “free jazz” manifesto, “The Shape of Jazz to Come,” there’s still nobody else in the jazz game quite like this saxophonist-composer. 8 p.m. Nov. 8, Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., S.F.; $19-$85.

WAYNE’S WORLD: You don’t have to wait until next week to hear some terrific jazz. Get a jump start Saturday by attending the Cal Performances concert with Wayne Shorter.

Shorter, who etched his name among jazz immortals as part of Miles Davis’ second great quintet (the same one that included Tony Williams), is one of the finest saxophonists of all time and, arguably, an even better composer. He’s bringing his great quartet — featuring Danilo Pérez on piano, John Patitucci on bass and Brian Blade on drums — the same one that I saw him with last year at San Francisco’s Masonic Center.

Shorter’s set at the Masonic was inspiring, as he lived up to his legend in every facet of his game, and I highly recommend that fans catch him in Berkeley. Show time is 8 p.m. The venue is Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave. Tickets are $28-$52. Call 510-642-9988 or visit www.calperformances.org.

AHOY, TREASURE ISLAND: I’ll leave you with a reminder that the season’s coolest “boutique” rock concert, the Treasure Island Music Festival, goes down this weekend. The third annual event will feature such electronic-infused acts as MGMT, Girl Talk and the Streets on Saturday and indie-rockers such as the Flaming Lips, Yo La Tengo and Bob Mould on Sunday.

My editor doesn’t want me to mention the best act on the bill because I’ve written about them way too much this year. So I’m definitely not going to tell you that the Decemberists will play Sunday. Tickets are $65-$249.99. Call 800-745-3000 or visit www.treasureislandfestival.com.